US telecommunications company AT&T has hinted that it will trial the use of drone technology at major events to improve smartphone signals.
John Donovan, AT&T’s chief strategy officer, has predicted that other companies will be using drone technologies to enhance the in-venue experience at music and sporting events before long, and is keen for AT&T to capitalise on the latest trend.
“Imagine you’re at a concert watching your favourite band, and out of the corner of your eye you noticed a tethered drone hovering nearby,” Donovan wrote in a blog post on AT&T’s website.
“But this drone isn’t taking photos or videos of the band. It’s temporarily providing enhanced LTE wireless coverage at the packed venue so you, along with thousands of others in attendance, can simultaneously send photos and videos to share the moment.
“While this isn’t a reality yet, we expect many different drone uses in the future. That’s why for the past year we’ve been exploring and testing different ways drones can benefit our customers.”
AT&T last week launched its national drone programme, which will see the technology used to inspect cell towers to analyse network speeds.
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